Biodiesel fuel for cold, temperate and hot weather climates and for aviation jet fuel

ABSTRACT

This invention permits biodiesel (Fatty Acid Methyl Esters—FAMES) fuel and/or fuel blends to be used in cold weather climates without crystallization/precipitation of solids which plug fuel lines. The high melting point components are removed by physical separation from the biodiesel. Crystallization or distillation are used to separate the high melting temperature components. The low melting temperature components are used for blending with petroleum diesel with reduced or no winterization; low melting temperature components are used as a biodiesel with reduced or no winterization; low melting temperature components are blended into aviation jet fuel; or low melting temperature components are used as aviation jet fuel. The high melting temperature components are blended with petroleum diesel for temperate and/or hot weather climates.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTINGCOMPACT DISC APPENDIX

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

Biodiesel is composed of fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) which areproduced from the transesterificaiton of glycerides (tri, di and/ormono) using methanol or the esterification of free fatty acids usingmethanol. Glycerides and free fatty acids come from plant and animaloils/fats. The fatty acids attached to the glycerides and the free fattyacids typically range from four (4) to twenty-two (22) carbon atoms.Each fatty acid has from zero (0) to three (3) double bonds betweencarbon atoms. Therefore, the FAMEs produced from a specific plant oranimal oil/fat is a mixture of different carbon lengths. The physicalproperties of a biodiesel from a specific plant or animal oil/fat is dueto the mixture of FAMEs.

Biodiesel is typically blended into petroleum diesel at rates of 2-20%by volume. The amount of biodiesel blended is limited, because thebiodiesel increases the blended fuel cloud point temperature. This cloudpoint temperature is the temperature at which solids crystallize andprecipitate resulting in pluggage of fuel lines. So, the higherbiodiesel fuel blends result in higher cloud point temperatures.

Individual FAMEs range from a melting temperature of 54 degreescentrigrade with a corresponding boiling point of 394 degreescentrigrade to a melting point of minus 57 degrees centrigrade with acorresponding boiling point of 366 degrees centrigrade.

FAME components in biodiesel have large enough differences in meltingand boiling points to separate them using crystallization ordistillation. This would permit the production of customized biodieselproducts to satisfy cold, temperate, and hot weather climates.

Physical separation of FAMEs by melting and/or boiling temperature wouldallow the production of a biodiesel that meets cold weather climaterequirement of typically minus 20 degrees centrigrade. In addition,FAMEs with a melting temperature of minus 20 to minus 57 degreescentrigrade can be produced which are suitable for blending intoaviation jet fuel.

Based on melting temperature, FAMEs can be cooled until the undesirableFAME components crystallize forming solids. Then the solids can bebatch/continuous separated by centrifugation or vacuum filtration.

Based on boiling temperature, FAMEs can be distilled to separate lowboiling from high boiling components. The low boiling components arealso the low melting temperature components.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

I have discovered a method to produce a biodiesel (FAMEs) with lowermelting temperatures than the biodiesel currently produced. This isachievable through separation of component FAMEs based on melting and/orboiling points.

The low melting/boiling temperature biodiesel (FAMEs) produced by thisinvention can be used to blend into petroleum diesel with reduced or noneed for winterizing additives, used as cold climate biodiesel withreduced or no winterization, or blended with aviation jet fuel. Alimited production of biodiesel could be used to replace aviation jetfuel when the FAME melting point is low enough.

The high melting/boiling temperature biodiesel (FAMEs) by-productsproduced by this invention can be used to blend into petroleum dieselfor temperate or hot climates.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

Not Applicable

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The process described herein is not feedstock limited and is capable ofprocessing different biodiesel feedstocks simultaneously or bycampaigning. Inexpensive biodiesel feedstocks can be processed tomaximize the value added by this process. So, an expensive oil thatnaturally has a mix of fatty acids which produce a lower cloud pointtemperature does not have to be used to produce a biodiesel for coldweather climates.

Biodiesel is typically blended into petroleum diesel at rates of 2-20%by volume. The amount of biodiesel blended is limited, because thebiodiesel reduces the blended cloud point temperature. This cloud pointtemperature is the temperature at which solids crystallize andprecipitate resulting in pluggage of fuel lines.

Melting and boiling temperature physical properties of various oils/fatscan be found in the following;

Technical Committee of the Institute of Shortening and Edible Oils. FoodFats and Oils Ninth Edition. Institute of Shortening and Edible OilsInc. 2006

Biodiesel Production Technology. National Renewable Energy Laboratory,July, 2004

Biomass Oil Analysis: Research Needs and Recommendations. June, 2004

Yuan W, Hansen A C, Zhang Q. Vapor pressure and normal boiling pointpredictions of pure methyl esters and biodiesel fuels. Elsevier.January, 2005

Biodiesel is a mixture of different length fatty acid methyl esters(FAMEs). These FAMEs have a range of melting temperatures whichcorrespond to the carbon chain length and number of double bonds betweencarbon atoms. FAMEs range from a melting temperature of 54 degreescentrigrade with a corresponding boiling point of 394 degreescentrigrade to a melting point of minus 57 degrees centrigrade with acorresponding boiling point of 366 degrees centrigrade.

Physical separation of FAMEs by melting and/or boiling temperatureallows the production of a biodiesel that meets the cold weather climaterequirement of typically minus 20 degrees centrigrade. In addition,FAMEs with a melting temperature of minus 20 to minus 57 degreescentrigrade can be produced which are suitable for blending intoaviation jet fuel.

The high melting/boiling temperature biodiesel (FAMEs) produced by thisinvention can be used to blend into petroleum diesel for temperate orhot climates.

1. A separation process for biodiesel (Fatty Acid Methyl Esters—FAMEs)components which will control the cloud point temperature of thebiodiesel product.
 2. The use of crystallization to separate FAMEs. 3.The use of distillation to separate FAMEs.
 4. The production of a coldweather biodiesel for blending with petroleum diesel requiring reducedor no winterization.
 5. The production of a cold weather biodieselrequiring reduced or no winterization.
 6. The production of a coldweather biodiesel for blending with aviation jet fuel.
 7. The productionof a cold weather biodiesel for use as an aviation jet fuel.
 8. Theproduction of a temperate and/or hot weather biodiesel for blending withpetroleum diesel.
 9. Processing of different biodiesel feedstockssimultaneously or by campaigning.
 10. Processing inexpensive biodieselfeedstocks to maximize the value added by this process.